Show us what you did today, thread
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A naked man, hunched over and rapidly moving his arm in a repetitive linear action.............
I should look for the press/police reports with some trepidation.
I should look for the press/police reports with some trepidation.
old_coyote_pedaller
MacRetro Rider
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Re: Re:
Ye offering tae give him a reach around? :shock:
jimo746":3l3zgqg5 said:
Ye offering tae give him a reach around? :shock:
Yesterday I seen that the forecast for today was quite good compared to the rest of the week so I told them at work I was 'well', as opposed to 'unwell' and that I wouldn't be in today as I was going riding in the decent weather. They agreed which is unusual and signed off on it 
I rang Brian and suggested if he was available to ride that we head down to Achnasheen and head out towards Kinlochewe and Torrindon to recce a route and try and find a decent camp spot for a randonneur road ride type camping weekend next month, that I have been trying to get sorted for a few weeks now. We weren't going to do the full Sheildag, Applecross, Torrindon route but more the middle section looking for a suitable campsite. A very hard thing to find now that a lot of this route is now on the north coast 500 route.
I picked Brian up just after lunch and we drove down to Achnasheen and parked at the station, unloaded the bikes and set off into a nice warm afternoon. It was quite cloudy in places but still not much breeze, which was nice for a change.
First bit of fun was the long downhill run into Kinlochewe, while the scenery up in the high ground on the first part is nice, I always like that section where you can start to see that you are about to drop from on high down to Loch Maree unfolding below. We stopped briefly at the lookout and then tucked in for the couple of miles down to Kinlochewe. We were both tucked right in hunched over the bars and I had no gears left very quickly, a big wide road made it a fun ride for sure. I had forgotten my computer so have no idea how fast I was going but with no more gears and spinning like I had no chain, I can only imagine it was pretty fast. We then had a stop for a coffee before heading towards Torrindon. This bit of the singletrack road is part of the NC500 and what an absolute shit fight it was as well, cars everywhere, hardly anybody giving any consideration to anyone let alone two slow bikes. Dangerous is the word for sure. After a while we turned of onto the Culin estate, or Torrindon estates as some signage said. This is the site of the Macretro Torrindon off road ride several years back and it brought back some memories for sure. We went along the footpath for a good distance looking for somewhere we may be able to camp, but I don't think we would be able to, especially on the lower ground as the estate has its own bunkhouses and lodge, that are well out of our price range :shock: But I do think a macretro revisit to do the loop again should happen soon.
Anyway we had a good while there before deciding it was getting on time wise and we headed back to Kinlochewe for a coffee before hitting the climb back up the fabulous descent. Nothing too hard but not that easy either, just a long steady slog. Pick a cadence and work away. Once back at the station we watched a Pine Martin playing under a car before running into someones back yard, while we were packing up.
A great ride out and have several options for the ride. I will stick details up this weekend both her in Retrobike and also on a couple of other groups but it's really a ride on Saturday with a campout Saturday night and then the second half of the loop on Sunday. Distance is not too far so is doable for all and bikes can be modern or old, road, randonneur, bikepack etc. The emphisis is on the ride being social, it's not a race or a gravel grind, it's a ride with a campout, open to any and all. Possibly now looking to start at Achnasheen as you can get the train there from Inverness.
Anyway here is some photos of a fun day and the sort of roads and scenery that will be part of the ride in August.
It sure beat going to work anyway
Jamie
DSCN4010 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSCN4003 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSCN4017 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSCN4022 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSCN4024 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSCN4037 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSCN4040 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSCN4041 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSCN4049 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSCN4053 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSCN4058 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSCN4067 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSCN4075 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
I rang Brian and suggested if he was available to ride that we head down to Achnasheen and head out towards Kinlochewe and Torrindon to recce a route and try and find a decent camp spot for a randonneur road ride type camping weekend next month, that I have been trying to get sorted for a few weeks now. We weren't going to do the full Sheildag, Applecross, Torrindon route but more the middle section looking for a suitable campsite. A very hard thing to find now that a lot of this route is now on the north coast 500 route.
I picked Brian up just after lunch and we drove down to Achnasheen and parked at the station, unloaded the bikes and set off into a nice warm afternoon. It was quite cloudy in places but still not much breeze, which was nice for a change.
First bit of fun was the long downhill run into Kinlochewe, while the scenery up in the high ground on the first part is nice, I always like that section where you can start to see that you are about to drop from on high down to Loch Maree unfolding below. We stopped briefly at the lookout and then tucked in for the couple of miles down to Kinlochewe. We were both tucked right in hunched over the bars and I had no gears left very quickly, a big wide road made it a fun ride for sure. I had forgotten my computer so have no idea how fast I was going but with no more gears and spinning like I had no chain, I can only imagine it was pretty fast. We then had a stop for a coffee before heading towards Torrindon. This bit of the singletrack road is part of the NC500 and what an absolute shit fight it was as well, cars everywhere, hardly anybody giving any consideration to anyone let alone two slow bikes. Dangerous is the word for sure. After a while we turned of onto the Culin estate, or Torrindon estates as some signage said. This is the site of the Macretro Torrindon off road ride several years back and it brought back some memories for sure. We went along the footpath for a good distance looking for somewhere we may be able to camp, but I don't think we would be able to, especially on the lower ground as the estate has its own bunkhouses and lodge, that are well out of our price range :shock: But I do think a macretro revisit to do the loop again should happen soon.
Anyway we had a good while there before deciding it was getting on time wise and we headed back to Kinlochewe for a coffee before hitting the climb back up the fabulous descent. Nothing too hard but not that easy either, just a long steady slog. Pick a cadence and work away. Once back at the station we watched a Pine Martin playing under a car before running into someones back yard, while we were packing up.
A great ride out and have several options for the ride. I will stick details up this weekend both her in Retrobike and also on a couple of other groups but it's really a ride on Saturday with a campout Saturday night and then the second half of the loop on Sunday. Distance is not too far so is doable for all and bikes can be modern or old, road, randonneur, bikepack etc. The emphisis is on the ride being social, it's not a race or a gravel grind, it's a ride with a campout, open to any and all. Possibly now looking to start at Achnasheen as you can get the train there from Inverness.
Anyway here is some photos of a fun day and the sort of roads and scenery that will be part of the ride in August.
It sure beat going to work anyway
Jamie
DSCN4010 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrDSCN4003 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrDSCN4017 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrDSCN4022 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrDSCN4024 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrDSCN4037 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrDSCN4040 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrDSCN4041 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrDSCN4049 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrDSCN4053 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrDSCN4058 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrDSCN4067 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrDSCN4075 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
velomaniac
MacRetro Rider
One day I'll drag a road oriented bike out, head out into my rural backyard and take a decent picture of the scenery. However until that day I will just have to accept those two lucky barstewards, Jamie and Brian live in gods playground !
epicyclo
Senior Retro Guru
I'm looking forward to getting back there - there's plenty unfinished business. I was going to take a singlespeed, but I'm really glad I didn't.
On the descent to Kinlochewe we reached 38mph, so it has a good slope, but getting back up later was a pig even with 8 gears.
Last time I did it was on a singlespeed 11 years ago and followed up with the Bealach - I must be getting old.
On the descent to Kinlochewe we reached 38mph, so it has a good slope, but getting back up later was a pig even with 8 gears.
Last time I did it was on a singlespeed 11 years ago and followed up with the Bealach - I must be getting old.
Re:
Wee weekend in the lakes for me to do a bit of walking and generally chill out. Was out for about 4 1\2 hours today climbing a few fells near wasdale; Middle fell, seattallan and buck barrow which was a good workout and feeling it in my legs now!
Took loads of pics but here's one from middle fell looking over towards scafell pike ( which I'll climb one of these days!).
Wee weekend in the lakes for me to do a bit of walking and generally chill out. Was out for about 4 1\2 hours today climbing a few fells near wasdale; Middle fell, seattallan and buck barrow which was a good workout and feeling it in my legs now!
Took loads of pics but here's one from middle fell looking over towards scafell pike ( which I'll climb one of these days!).
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